Monday, August 18, 2014

After he assumed the power of the late sidhe king, Devin thought the battle to protect Nessa and proceed with her coronation was over. Everyone feared him and he had the power to do anything in the sidhe world. He was wrong. As problem after problem arises, Nessa finds the path to the throne is not as simple as they thought. Formalities must be adhered to, preparations must be made, and between all of that, Devin and Nessa must decide what to do with an obviously pregnant Fiona, who will not name the father of her child. To make matters worse, the elite sidhe are still assassinating each other. No one in the palace is safe. Who is behind the latest deaths, and can the coronation actual occur with all the drama going on? Devin and Nessa’s road to power might be cut short if they can’t find the answers.

Excerpt

“We need to dance
our way out of here,” Devin replied quietly, still spinning them in circles.
“Just follow my lead.”

Nessa wanted to
ask more, but Devin dipped her down suddenly with one hand. Pulling her back
up, his fist was pressed against her back and was now holding an arrow he
grabbed from an assassination attempt. No one saw the invisible arrow, but
Devin still held onto it. After a few more quick spins that didn’t allow Nessa
to ask more questions, yet brought them five feet closer to the exit, Devin
caught a second arrow from a different assassin. The first one was still
waiting. Even the assassins didn’t see their own arrows. As they were within
ten feet of leaving, Nessa finally protested.

“Devin, what is
going on?” she asked, a bit winded from dancing.

‘Not now. I’m trying to save your life,’ Devin answered silently.
Nessa’s eyes went big. She obviously hadn’t considered that she was in danger. ‘Now duck,’ he ordered.

Nessa instantly bent
down and pretended to adjust the hem of her dress. Devin held out his empty
hand to help her stand back up. She smiled and stood, though there was still
hesitation in her eyes. She couldn’t see the arrows in his hand. Devin smiled
back, and she relaxed a little. Nessa slipped her hands back to his shoulders,
and Devin took the lead again, pulling her toward the exit on the opposite side
of the room from their table.

‘Dinner, dance, and then done?’ Devin asked, reiterating
that they were done. He didn’t expect any kind of protest, but he had to be
sure that they fulfilled the role they were supposed to play.

“I have to tell
them I’m leaving,” she replied quietly. Devin spun her again before answering.

Devin reached to
grab the fourth arrow, but it turned around midflight and hit the assassin that
had shot it. Devin didn’t even wait to see what would happen. The last one he
had killed turned visible the moment he died. Devin was sure this one was
slightly hidden, but would be found quickly enough. They didn’t have time to
wait around for the real chaos to begin. Devin stopped dancing and grabbed
Nessa’s hand in his free one to pull her the last few feet to the doorway.
Nessa seemed about to protest again as Devin briefly stopped. A man standing by
the doorway didn’t even notice them, but Devin knew he was the herald that
announced their entrance earlier.

“The queen is
tired and retiring to her room. She had a lovely time, please be sure to thank
all who attended,” Devin told the man. He didn’t wait for a response, turning
back to Nessa.

The herald’s eyes
grew wide at being addressed by Devin, and even wider as he noticed Nessa by
Devin’s side. He quickly bowed to Nessa before hurrying over to the stairs that
lead out of the hall and to the vantage point overlooking the crowd. Devin and
Nessa followed behind him. The herald turned to face the court attending the
ball, and Devin continued to pull Nessa out of the dancing hall. They didn’t
stop to listen to the man. When the assassins finally looked up from their
weapons, Devin had Nessa out the door before the herald was finished talking,
and before anyone could follow them.

“Devin we’re
alone,” Nessa replied, out of breath. Devin pulled her down the hallway. Her
dainty sidhe shoes clicked on the stone floor, but Devin didn’t stop.

“For now, but I
don’t doubt they will follow. At least the three that were still standing when
we left,” Devin commented, pulling her in the direction of her room, the only
safe place in the palace since they had let sidhe assassins in.

“Assassins?”
Nessa asked, horror lining her face.

“Yes, and unless
we get back to your room now they will get another chance. I don’t mind my odds
at three to one, but I don’t know if they will even fight me or just go for
you. And since you can’t see them, I’d prefer you were somewhere safe,” Devin
replied, turning and going down another hallway. “Shit,” Devin said quietly. He
was scanning the hallways. Just then, he grabbed Nessa and pulled her with him
into one of the lover’s alcoves.

“What?” Nessa
asked as her eyes grew big, understanding where they were standing.

‘We need to hide and this was the best I could do,’ Devin replied mentally to
Nessa.

He pulled her
body up against his as he backed into the small space, and her big billowing
skirt hid his day human jeans. Devin stood a good six inches taller than Nessa,
and he knew his face had to be hidden also. The fuzzy outline of an assassin
appeared down the hallway. Devin didn’t say a word to Nessa before he leaned
down and kissed her.

About the Author

Originally from
Wisconsin, B. Kristin currently resides in Ohio with her husband, two small
children, and three cats. When not doing the momthing of chasing kids, baking cookies, and playing outside, she is
using her PhD in biology as a scientist. In her free time, she is currently
hard at work on multiple novels. Every day is a new writing adventure. She is a
fan of all YA fantasy and science fiction and continues to promote good books
on her own blog at www.bkristinmcmichael.com. You can find her on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads

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About Me

Bestselling and award-winning YA author with a soft spot for sweet romance. In addition to writing, she works as an editor for two publishers, as well as select indie authors. She shares her home with her teenage son, three dogs, and lots of dragons. Kimber Leigh is addicted to romance, videogames, superheroes, villains,
and chocolate—not necessarily in that order. (If she has to choose, she’ll take
a chocolate covered superhero!) She currently lives in San Antonio, TX but has
been somewhat a rolling stone in life, having resided in several different
cities and states.